Backstreet Boys Cruise: Special travel tale

Warning: It is a Backstreet Boys cruise tale. And so this entry will be really, really cheesy. And highly, highly entertaining. You might fall off your chair laughing. Repeatedly. You’ve so been warned

As I am going to the Britney Spears concert tonight and Backstreet Boys & New Kids On The Block concert this Friday on VIP ticket, I felt compelled to share with you a special travel tale: How I went on a Backstreet Boys cruise. Yeah, as of I met them all, partied with them, limbo danced on stage with them, attended their concert at sea, etc. In other words, the whole deal! I know, who thought stuff like that even existed?!

Before you judge me, call me a teenybopper and stop reading, hear me out. This was cool. Yeah, that’s my excuse. I mean, BSB are my idols, the music I grew up with, the music that actually helped me learn English. Imagine this, then you finally get to meet them. Whatever that artist may be to you, well, to me Backstreet Boys is one of them. So now that you understand my excitement (or simply find it highly amusing), let’s get down to business!

The photo album caption read:

Partying with the Backstreet Boys for 5 days!

Backstreet Boys cruise time! Yay!

The first annual Backstreet Boys cruise was on December 2010 on Carnival’s Destiny cruise. Serendipitous enough, 8 years before, I had my very first kiss on this same ship, when I was 15 years old, during my Quienceañera (aka “Sweet 15″ to Latinas) trip. Back then, it was docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico instead of Miami, FL. Throughout the years though, it changed of location. Right on time for BSB time. And yes, I noted the ship’s name actually being “Destiny.” Ahhh, the stories of my life!!

Photo with all the Backstreet Boys! I’m in the white-and-blue dress!

The whole cruise was packed with activities: An International night (where you got to wear your country’s clothes), a masquerade night, Q&A with the band, as well as karaoke with the band even! On the ports of call we just chilled, except on Cozumel where we actually had a beach party with the Backstreet Boys where they had a Twister and limbo dance competition. I was luckily chosen to partake in the limbo dancing, for which I got cheered and even the Backstreet oys had nice things to say about my back-bending skills–LOL! Needless to say I was flattered *place huge grin here*

BSB Brian said “she must be from Brazil” but then Howie responded: “No!!! She’s from PUERTO RICO!!

My skills

…my *serious* skills! Lol…

Most of the events were held on the cruise ship’s main deck, with the Backstreet Boys having a “stage” of sorts, but frequently coming down to where all the fans were and just mingling and taking pictures with us. For the rest of the trip, when no events where taking place and we were at sea, the Backstreet Boys would simply roam the ship like any other passenger, without much fuss nor many bodyguards. We luckily behaved (relatively lol), so no need to fuss. It was awesome! I bumped into them so many times, got soooo many pictures taken. Basically, a teenybopper’s DREAM!! *big grin* lmao…

My best moment in the entire Backstreet Boys cruise

Best BEST of all? Mmkay! When I got to speak with band member Howie Dorough…in SPANISH. The first night, he walked by me, and I said “I’m from Puerto Rico too!!” then he just randomly said “De verdad!? De que parte!?” (really!? From which part!?). Please note, this was during one of the busiest events, so at this point he was being shuffled by bodyguards. HOWEVER, Howie decided I was too cool, so he gently grabbed my arm and kept pulling me as his bodyguards pulled him on, just so he could carry on the conversation with me. OMG!! He just kept asking where was my family from (Caguas and he said, mine from Fajardo!), if I still lived there, etc. Then, after a good 5 minutes or so, he kissed me on the cheek and hugged me. At this point, I was so shocked that I even forgot my camera was hanging from my wrist. LOL. Luckily though, I found him and the other boys several times, so I eventually, finally “got over the jitters” and could snap some fantastic photos with my idols. I still squeal when I remember. LOL!!!

AJ McLean and me. I’m teary-eyed!

Howie D and me. Ahh, one of our moments, after the limbo dance!

Nick Carter, my girls, and me!

Brian Littrell, some of my girls and ME (on the left)!

The other best moment for me was during the Meet and Greet, which was a photo op actually included with you special Backstreet Boys cruise trip. When I was walking toward the stage, Howie, at a distance, actually pointed at me and said loudly, “ohh, it’s Miss Puerto Rrrrrico!!!” and once I got there, gave me the biggest bear hug. What’s so funny about this is that fans where not allowed to touch nor kiss the guys but only touch them “for the picture,” so when Howie hugged me so tightly and kissed me on the cheek, the bodyguard was like “hey hey hey no hugging no kissing!!” but Howie just looked at him like “I did it, it’s ok” and kept on bahaha! talk about awesomeness right there. SNAP!

yet another moment I had with Howie, during limbo dance! I’m in the yellow-aqua bikini

But the Backstreet Boys were not everything on this trip. We ventured around Key West and Cozumel whenever we weren’t stalking the BSB (bahaha). By we I mean some girls I met during the trip, that were totally awesome, and ended up being really good friends. Two of them were from Orlando FL actually Awilda and her sister); 3 were from Spain; my Spaniard cruise roommate was actually living in Orlando FL at the moment and I met her at a Backstreet Boys concert were we clicked automatically; and Andrea was from Guatemala (and she actually flew all the way to Miami just for the cruise). We still talk to date and can’t wait for a formal reunion trip. Ahh, don’t you just love it when you make such great friendships on trips? You know, those that you know will linger on forever? =)

they had this Backstreet Boys poster in Cozumel, Mexico

where we drank much tequila after the beach party in Cozumel Mexico

and there’s the tequila!

me at Cozumel, Mexico bar

I’m ALWAYS dancing… (me at center)

And that shall be my crazy, special hilarious travel tale on how I cruised with the Backstreet Boys. Surely, a huge dream come true to me!!! For more pictures and even videos of this Backstreet Boys cruise, simply go to my unlimited-bandwidth Backstreet Boys Cruise 2010 Photobucket site.

right, right!? Hahaha. I sounded like such a teenybopper on this photo essay. I laugh every time I reread it myself XD

By the way, they just released tickets for the 2013 Backstreet Boys cruise! You should go to Backstreet Boys cruise.com and book your cabin. Public sale starts this morning I wanted to go again, but couldn’t find any roomies on time. I guess I’ll have to meet Kevin by buying a backstage pass when they go on tour next year for the new album!

Aww that was soo sweet to read! Did Howie try to keep in touch with you as friends or…? Do you have any stories about Brian or Nick? They’re so cute & funny together! Lol
If you ever see them ask for how many more years will they be having the cruise. I really want to go but I won’t be 21 until 2018.
Oh and I’m starting to save up money now just in case if they do still have them by 2018!
But like, around how much money would you estimate to take with me? How do I book things, what do i need, what would you recommend to have the best trip ever?!

Nah, celebrities don’t really keep in touch haha! I did have a lot of fun and many unforgettable memories from that cruise for sure.

Don’t know whether they’ll have cruises all the way until 2018. However, I think that if you go with an older person you are able to go even when you are 18 or 16! So try to convince your parents or older siblings

So start saving up now! It’s expensive… Over $1000 per person :/ I saved up for a couple of months before I could pay for it. Just Google “Backstreet Boys cruise”and you’ll get the homepage from which you book everything

About the Author

Maria Laborde, aka latinAbroad, is an open-minded, highly-energetic woman with the spirit of a child. A world citizen, Puerto Rican at heart, carrier of an American passport. An aspiring digital nomad, sprinkling Latin spice all over the world!